Bright Future
by xxDustNight88
Summary: Shades has a decision to make; stay set in his ways and get sent to the Raft or take a chance on a bright future.


**Author's Note:** Written for the July Monthly Challenge over at Harry Potter Crossover Fanfiction, Prompts, and Challenges. I'm still not sure where this thing came from but I do know that I am liking this pairing. I'm not sure if I will ever expand this but I may write them again in the future.

Thank you to starrnobella for alpha reading and GaeilgeRua for allowing me to use her Grammarly subscription to beta read. Any other mistakes you find are definitely my own. Much love, xxDustNight

 **Disclaimer:** All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to those at Marvel Studios, Warner Brothers, or J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I do not write for profit.

 _ **Against the Grain  
**_ **Pairing:** Hernan "Shades" Alvarez/Hermione Granger _ **  
**_ **Rating: T**  
 **Summary:** _Shades has a decision to make; stay set in his ways and get sent to the Raft or take a chance on a bright future.  
_ _ **Prompt:**_ Time doesn't heal anything… It just teaches us how to live with the pain.

. . . .

 _Bright Future_

It felt like another lifetime. Harlem. Mariah. Luke Cage. His stint behind bars for participating in the murders and crimes that nearly brought Harlem to its knees. Copping a plea deal had helped get his sorry ass free, but at what cost? It was definitely not ideal being forced out of the country, and yet that was what had happened. Hernan Alvarez was on a one-way flight to ol' London town while Luke fucking Cage took over the club.

The club was supposed to be his. Promised to him by Mariah herself. What a lie that had been. Sometimes, if he let himself think too hard, he even wondered if Mariah had ever truly loved him. He'd loved her. Probably more than he ought to given the kind of life they lived and what she was capable of. Then again, wasn't he guilty of just the same?

Nevertheless, Hernan stepped out of that airport and into the bright London sunshine without his trademark shades. He smirked into the grim faces of the law enforcement officers that were there to retrieve him and bring him into whatever hell Cage had arranged. He was sure it was going to be irritating, mostly because he expected to die back in that New York prison given all the shits that wanted him dead there.

"What a lovely welcome party. Are there going to be drinks?" Hernan laughed to himself as the guard leading him roughly shoved him ahead. "No need to be so touchy," he groused but never dropped the grin. In fact, he remained somewhat impassive until they stopped in front of the other officers.

He let his eyes lazily rake over their faces. Two nondescript males and a frizzy-haired woman. The woman appeared to be the one in charge, and for that, he was grateful. She would be easier to get along with. At least, he hoped. It helped she was easy on the eyes, all feminine curves and big brown eyes. Finally, he was stopped in front of the three officials, the one leading him roughly grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to keep still.

"I hope you know what you're doing by allowing him here," the guard told the woman before handing over a folder containing his paperwork.

"Come now, Sam," the woman told the man, a smile tugging at her lips as she accepted the folder. "I've been working with Cage off and on for the past year, and he hasn't led me wrong yet."

"You don't know Hernan Alvarez the way we know him in the states," Sam told the woman.

She tapped the folder with one hand. "I will after reading through this."

"Or," Hernan piped in, drawing their attention back to him. "You could just talk to me. I'm right here." He flashed a toothy grin which caused Sam to roll his eyes.

Before Sam could retort, the woman cut in. "Yes, we are aware." She turned back to Sam and said, "Thank you for flying all the way here with him. Make sure to tell Steve and the others that I miss them and can't wait to see them at the holidays."

"Will do," Sam replied and then waved. "See ya around." Then he was turning and heading back toward the jet which had presumably been refueled in preparation for his flight back to the states.

Hernan watched him go, only turning away when one of the male guards took hold of his arm and began leading him toward the parking lot. "Who was that?" he asked, directing his attention to the woman as they continued to walk.

"Sam Wilson. He works alongside Captain America," she explained, tucking his file into the bag she had on her shoulder. "They have been working with me and my department since I returned from working in the states myself."

"So diplomatic of you," Hernan said, storing all this information away so he could sift through it later when he was alone.

"I'm Granger, by the way," said the brunette, tucking a curl behind her ear as she fell in step beside the others. "Hermione Granger. I've been assigned to you exclusively."

"Brilliant," Hernan muttered as they neared what appeared to be a taxi. "Then I suppose it's you who I should aim to impress."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his words. "I hardly think that's appropriate. I'm just meant to make sure you adjust to life here and don't get yourself caught up in any more crimes."

"Or murders," he muttered under his breath. They'd stopped by the car and were preparing to get inside.

"That would be ideal. Besides, if you even so much as think of breaking our laws, you'll be headed right for the Raft without a chance of parole this time." Hermione explained this all with a smile gracing her lips. She opened the door to the car and gestured for Hernan to slide inside.

It was a bit difficult with the handcuffs still binding his wrists, but he managed. "What did you do while working in the states, Ms Granger?" Hernan asked this while glancing around the car. It was incredibly spacious given the fact that it appeared much smaller from the outside.

"I was a liaison to through the MACUSA. I worked alongside S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers after the New York Invasion." As they began to drive to their destination, Hermione visibly relaxed.

"I haven't heard of the Ma-Koo-Za. What is that?" Hernan inquired, shifting slightly in his seat so he could better see Hermione as she sat next to him in the back seat of the car.

"Oh," Hermione said, her eyes lighting up. "I guess they haven't properly filled you in on who I am and where you've been brought to." When Hernan merely shook his head, she sighed heavily. "I'm so sorry. The MACUSA is the Magical Congress of the United States of America, and I work for the Magical Law Enforcement for the UK's Ministry of Magic."

"Magic," Hernan repeated, his heartbeat speeding up. "You can do magic?"

Pulling a face, Hermione shrugged. "Yeah. Our world is not as well-known as Luke Cage's strength and inability to die or Iron Man's fancy suit, but we exist."

"Why have I been brought into this world of magic?" He was proud of himself for not thoroughly freaking out over this entire ordeal. Then again, given the kind of chaos that ran rampant in the states, anything was possible these days.

"Despite your criminal intent in the past, my department is interested in your manipulation skills for a case. I imagine they didn't tell you, but if you choose to work with us and things go well, time may be removed from your initial sentence." The car was pulling up to a row of townhomes. When they stepped out of the car and back into the afternoon sun, Hermione gestured to the door in front of them. "This is 12 Grimmauld Place. My friends and I live here together, and they have offered you to stay as well if you want to help us."

It was indeed something to consider. His past was muddled with murders and violence. Helping Hermione and her team would allow him to make a change in her world, and his life as well. He knew he didn't have much time to make this decision, but that didn't stop him from diving right in. He was nothing if a businessman at heart and this was undoubtedly a new endeavour to be tried.

Nodding, he accepted Hermione's proposal. "Okay, Ms Granger. I think I'm game."

"Excellent," she said with obvious relief. She began digging in her bag again. "When I heard it was you coming, I made sure to pick up these," Hermione said softly before pulling a pair of dark sunglasses from her bag. "I thought they might make your time here easier to adjust to."

"Time doesn't heal anything," Hernan told her with a forced smile. He accepted the black sunglasses, however, and slid them onto his face. Immediately, he felt more at ease and was thankful for her gift. "It just teaches us how to live with the pain."

"The pain?" Hermione questioned, crossing her arms and tilting her head. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, sweetheart," Hernan began, fixing her with his now shaded gaze. "I'm not the only one who knows the pain of loss and heartbreak. I can see it in your eyes." He gestured to her face, his smile only grew when he saw her flinch, albeit slightly.

"I'm not going to pretend I don't understand your meaning," Hermione replied as the continued to stand in the afternoon sun. "Life hasn't always been the easiest in my world. All I can say is this… You're in a new place with a new lease on life. You can choose to help, or you can revert to your old ways. So what's it going to be, Hernan?"

Smirking, he liked that she called him by his given name and not Shades. It made her more real to him and definitely more interesting than before. There was no reason to back out now, especially when he was being given the opportunity to learn more about this world of magic tucked right in the middle of his own. Shrugging, he ignored the sound that the handcuffs made and sold his soul to a hopeful new life.

"Like I said, Ms Granger, I'm game."

"I was hoping you wouldn't change your mind, and, please, call me Hermione," she replied, her smile brighter than the sun. She squeezed his arm reassuringly and then led him inside the townhouse. "Now, come on inside. I want you to meet the rest of the crew."

"Lead the way… Hermione," he said with a genuine smile which she returned. She hid it well though, moving forward toward the front door of the house.

Hernan followed behind, thankful that he was being given this second lease on life. Maybe he would actually make something out of it for himself. He only hoped that Hermione would be there with him through the process. There was something about this witch that made him feel like anything was possible. Smiling, Hernan decided, he could work with that.


End file.
